This disclosure relates to a technology of resolving a problem occurring on an image monitored, in particular outputted by an image forming apparatus.
In a case where a problem such as a black spot has occurred on an image outputted from the image forming apparatus, a cause of this problem needs to be specified to resolve the image.
Thus, suggested has been a technology of specifying a problem occurring on an outputted image through comparison between test reference image data and image data to be tested, which data was obtained by optically reading an image outputted through image formation of the reference image data, and also specifying a cause of the specified problem through its analysis.